Health departments keep county prepared

Jun 7, 2023

DISTRIBUTION — An area resident receives a sample of Thyrosafe, a potassium iodide tablet, as part of a distribution organized by the Hancock County Health Department and the Hancock County Office of Emergency Management, with support from other health departments in the region. The precautionary distribution was held at the health department's offices in New Cumberland, with a focus on residents in northern Hancock County, to assist in the event of an emergency at the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station. - Craig Howell

NEW CUMBERLAND — While there currently is no emergency, local health officials don't want to take any chances in the event of an incident at the Beaver Valley Power Station.

As part of regular precautionary measures, and to measure their own preparedness, the Hancock County Health Department and Hancock County Office of Emergency Management offered a distribution of potassium iodide tablets Tuesday, with a particular focus on residents from the northern areas of the county, especially those living, working or attending school within the 10-mile emergency planning zone of the power station.

Hancock County officials were assisted by representatives of health departments from Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Tyler and Wetzel counties.

Residents going through the distribution, which used the drive-through garage at the Hancock County Health Department's new building in New Cumberland, as well as a secondary area in the parking lot for walk-ups and overflow vehicles, received samples of Thyrosafe tablets for each member of their household.

"They’re giving a two-day supply, so not a full box," explained Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department Administrator Howard Gamble, who was serving as the public information officer during the distribution. "The health department distributes these in case the plant has an accident."

Gamble explained, while the tablets don't necessarily provide full-scale protection in the event of radiation, it does help to block radiation from reaching the thyroid. He said, following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, many of those with long-lasting effects were found to have problems with their thyroid.

According to information provided by Chelsea Everly, sanitarian for the Hancock County Health Department, the distribution was done to ensure "that in the event of a radiological emergency at the power station, the possible exposed population will be able to take the tablets as soon as possible, immediately following exposure to radiation."

Gamble noted the activity also provided a chance for health officials throughout the Northern Panhandle to train in the event of future large-scale distributions.

"It's a great time to come together and provide a service to the community," he said.

Gamble said the tablets have a long shelf life, but in the event residents do have expired tablets, or missed Tuesday's distribution, they can still stop by the health department offices to receive a supply.

(Howell can be contacted at [email protected], and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

WEIRTON — A building which had been home to a long-time business until its owner's death in 2020 is set to ...

CHARLESTON — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said Thursday she was pleased to hear that illegal crossings at the ...

CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that attorneys for parents seeking to ...

MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump said Thursday that he was indicted for mishandling classified documents at his Florida ...